Esteban Fernandez, president of Fernandez Construction, has been a successful contractor in Las Vegas, NV, for the last 28 years - specializing in new construction and remodeling. He also has a thriving business subcontracting kitchen countertops for all the major builders in this growing hot spot, for which he completes about 20 Corian® kitchen, bath and bar countertops a day. While very successful with these countertops, Fernandez wanted to expand into granite, seeing it as a viable and profitable alternative to Corian.

Everyone is well aware by now that stone from China has been shipped around the world - including to the renowned stone-producing nation of Italy. However, stone also continues to be shipped in the other direction, as the headquarters of Beijing's New Bank of China was built with the assistance of Tuscan companies and lavish use of Italian marble and other varieties of stone. This project won First Prize in the Interior Design Category of the MAA Awards, and it was just one example of outstanding use of Italian stone being used in the Far East.

Even when dealing with a material as classic as Jerusalem Stone, the market and industry continues to develop. In one example of this, Alony Marble has purchased 15 acres of land in the Mizpe Ramon area of Israel. This land sits adjacent to the old Jerusalem/Ramon Gold quarry, and the company is now extracting blocks. This gives them a unique opportunity to penetrate the market as a supplier of Jerusalem Gold blocks, which are highly coveted around the world and are available in North America from its U.S. office, Stone Suppliers LLC of Westwood, MA.

Although still fairly new to the stone industry, Queen City Countertops is quickly on the rise of becoming a successful fabrication company. Located in Monroe, NC, the company has been doubling sales every year since opening in 2002, and has recently outgrown its 1,800-square-foot facility. Owner Mike Licht refers to Queen City Countertops as a simple operation, and added that the company is still at the beginning of the curve on the automation trail.

The operation of Marmi Bruno Zanet dates back to 1958, when a gentleman named Bruno Zanet set out to find new stones and colors to introduce to the market. The company, located in Volargne in the Province of Verona, Italy, has grown significantly since its early days, and is now a family-run business.

The South Boston Seaport District is being called the city's “first new neighborhood in more than 150 years.” The area has received a record-breaking $20 billion in public investment for infrastructure, which has transformed the little-known district and working port into one of the best development opportunities on the East Coast. New retail, dining and entertainment establishments continue to benefit from the dramatic growth in the seaport.

With the explosion of business in the granite kitchen countertop sector, many issues have come up with regard to fabrication techniques and methods, and they have been addressed at numerous stone fabrication forums. However, there are also many topics with regard to granite countertop installation, and these issues took center stage at a Marble Institute of America-hosted “Fabricator Forum,” during the last edition of StonExpo.

The design competition for the new Oslo Opera House in Norway drew 230 entries from around the world, including submissions from renowned architects such as Mario Botta, Richard Rogers and Eric Moss, among others. In the end, however, the anonymous competition was won by a local firm, Snøhetta AS of Oslo, and the firm's design utilizes Carrara White marble from Italy as a defining element.

Now celebrating its 40th edition, Marmomacc, the International Natural Stone and Technology Exhibition, will once again take place in Verona, Italy, as a leading international trade fair in the natural stone sector.

When it comes to his designs, architect Jeff Whyte of Schaumburg, IL, strives to maintain a balance between contemporary and homey. The architect combines materials such as stone, wood and glass to create unique and visually interesting designs, with warm and inviting atmospheres. This was the case for a residential project located about 30 miles outside of Chicago in Algonquin, IL, where Whyte utilized Wisconsin stone for the home's exterior, which blended the structure with its surrounding environment as well as providing texture and character.